13 Gems of the Assassins
by YashamonMaster
Summary: Five duelists, including Yugi, Jonouchi, and Kaiba are called upon to battle through Pegasus's new Virtual World to stop a potential real-world invasion. Rated for violence and language.
1. Pegasus's Proposition

**Yu-Gi-Oh  
13 Gems of the Zodiac  
By YashamonMaster**

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, be it the cards or the characters. I do, however, own Diablo and Ice. They're mine.

**Chapter One: Pegasus's Preposition**

Yugi Motou stepped out in front of Pegasus's mansion, staring at the wide, sweeping lawns and statues of cartoon-y rabbits. A tall statue of a one-eyed clown peered down in the center of the pathway.  
"Yami, remind me why I'm doing this," Yugi said, frowning.  
"Because it is good to help others, even if they were once your foe," said the ancient Pharaoh. "Also, this could be a good chance to duel," the spirit added, smirking.  
"Right."  
Yugi looked down at the note crumpled in his hand.  
_"Yugi-boy, I know you may be reluctant to help me, but I must call upon your services. Come to my Domino Mansion at 5 o' clock on Friday, and I will explain the rest.  
-Maximillion Pegasus"  
_Yugi sighed, and pressed the intercom button.  
"Yes?" asked a gruff voice.  
"Um, I'm here to see Mr. Pegasus," Yugi said.  
"Name?"  
"Uh, Yugi Motou."  
"Oh, yes, Mr. Motou, come right in."  
The tall, ornate gate swung open, and Yugi stepped through onto the marble pathway.  
"Pegasus sure likes showing off," Yugi muttered.  
"Oh?"  
"Marble walkway, statues, big gate." Yugi ticked them off on his fingers. "He could be a little modest."  
Yami shrugged.  
At last, he reached the tall front doors. They swung open wide, and a man in a suit ushered the duelist in.  
The mansion was just as extravagant as it's outside. His shoes rang out against the marble floor as he walked through the massive home. At last, the man showed him through a door, saying that Pegasus would see him now.  
Pegasus looked about the same, sitting behind a large desk. He was smiling, and motioned for Yugi to sit down. Yugi moved to a chair, when he realized it was occupied, as where two others.  
"Yug, I hope you're not thinkin' of sittin' on me."  
Yugi jumped back, and stared eye-to-eye with Jonouchi, his best friend.  
Also in the room was Seto Kaiba, Yugi's fierce rival. He was standing next to the fireplace, glaring at Yugi.  
Two others were seated. Slumped back in one of the plush armchairs was a tall, lean guy with shaggy silver hair and smoky gray eyes. He was wearing a black t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and a black leather jacket. The shirt bore a red smiley face, smiling evilly, with the inscription, "Lead me not into temptation. I can find it myself."  
The other was a very attractive girl, same age as the silver-haired guy. She had long blue hair, sparkling green eyes, and was wearing a black tank-top and blue jeans.  
"Welcome, Yugi-boy. I'm so glad you've decided to join us. Please, sit down, though, not on another guest." Pegasus smiled in a strange way.  
Yugi sat between Joey and the silver-haired guy, face red.  
"Now, I know some of you haven't met yet," Pegasus began. "So I shall introduce you all. This is Jonouchi Katsuya, Yugi Motou, Diablo, and Ice."  
Pegasus pointed to each as he introduced them. Diablo was the silver haired guy, and Ice was the girl.  
"Now, the reason you are here is simple. You are the five best duelists in the world. And I need your help."  
_If they're so great, _Yugi thought. _Then why haven't I heard of them?  
_"You see," Pegasus continued. "I have been working on a project, creating a virtual reality much like Kaiba-boy did. It was to take the duel monsters and make them real, in an environment like our own earth.  
"However, I made the mistake of inputting a new set I have been working on. The Assassin set. The monsters somehow changed the set-up of the world, making it far more real than I could've hoped.  
"This would be no problem if it wasn't for the intentions of the monsters. They are trying to break through to our side, and they are steadily gaining enough power to do so. I need you to go in there and fight them off.  
"The monsters have split the worlds apart, making them based on the sets I released. To beat them, you need to take the Gem in each world. The Gem is held by the strongest monster, much like in a video game, which this was supposed to be anyway."  
"So, we just duel our way through VR Monsters, take the treasure, and bring it back here?" Seto said. "Sounds simple."  
"Well, there's one problem with that statement. You see, you can enter the world, but you can only bring in one card."  
"What!?" yelled Jonouchi. "One card? Dat's crazy!"  
"A sad fact of the game. However, you gain the cards of the monsters you defeat. Oh, and I'd choose a monster that doesn't require a tribute, since you do have to tribute summon.  
"Well, anyone going to back down?"  
"I'll trash 'em!" Jonouchi growled.  
"You'll need a lot of help to not die," Seto sneered. "So I guess I'll help you through it."  
"I don't back down from a challenge," said Diablo. His voice was cool and sharp.  
"Neither do I," said Ice. Her tone was the same.  
"Well, I'm not going to be the only one backing out," Yugi said. "I'll do it."  
"Excellent! Now, step into the next room, and pick a card from your deck."  
Yugi pulled out his deck and looked through it.  
"Oh!" Pegasus yelled. "Silly, silly me. I forgot that I have some new cards just for you five. They're part of a new set I'm working on. Tell me how they do in there."  
The five walked into a large, white room. Five metal pods stood against a wall.  
"Step into the pods."  
Yugi walked into it. The door closed behind him, and suddenly there was a bright flash. Yugi could feel energy coursing through his body.  
_What...is...this...feeling?  
_Then he blacked out.  
  
What will our heroes find in Pegasus's digital world? Can they survive the trials? And what are the monsters Pegasus has crafted for them? Find out next time in...13 Gems of the Zodiac!


	2. Level One

**Chapter Two: Level One**

DISCLAIMER: I still don't own Yu Gi Oh, but I do own Diablo, Ice, and the five monsters. I think.  
  
When Yugi woke up, he was sitting in a wide grassy field. He looked around and saw the four others, seemingly unconscious.  
"Are you awake?" a deep voice asked.  
Yugi spun around and saw a muscular, dark skinned man wearing Egyptian clothes. He held a long, golden spear in his hand.  
"Who...are you?"  
"I am Pharaoh's Guardian. And you are Yugi, yes?"  
"Y...yes," Yugi said. "You're a monster card, right?"  
"Yes. I am the one who will protect you."  
Something beeped, and Yugi saw a computer-device on his wrist.  
"Weird."  
"That is the Card Data Device. It shall tell you everything about the cards you meet."  
Yugi looked at the device, and pressed the button labeled "Scan". He pointed his wrist at Pharaoh's Guardian, and data appeared on the screen.  
_Name: Pharaoh's Guardian  
Attribute: Light  
Type: Warrior  
Level: 4  
ATK: 1700  
DEF: 1400  
Effect: When in play, all Spellcasters increase ATK and DEF by 400. Spellcasters are immune to Spells, Traps, and Monster Effects while Pharaoh's Guardian is in play.  
_"You're quite powerful," Yugi said.  
"Thank you, master Yugi."  
At last, the others began to stir. As they did, monsters appeared at their sides.  
Next to Kaiba was what appeared to be a miniaturized Blue Eyes White Dragon. Yugi scanned it, revealing its information.  
_Name: Blue Eyes Young Dragon  
Attribute: Light  
Type: Dragon  
Level: 4  
ATK: 2000  
DEF: 300  
Effect: When this monster is destroyed, Special Summon 1 BEWD from your Deck.  
_Next to Jonouchi was a hulking reptile-man holding a curved sword. Its scales were bright red, and it had plates of black armor on its body.  
_Name: Black D. Slayer  
Attribute: Fire  
Type: Beast-Warrior  
Level: 4  
ATK: 1550  
DEF: 1600  
Effect: For every Dragon-type in play, increase Black D. Hunter's ATK by 300.  
_Diablo and Ice both got up together. Standing near Diablo was a pale man in a Goth-style outfit with two large black-feathered wings. Ice petted a metal-plated white wolf.  
_Name: Fallen Angel ---------- Name: Cobalt Hunter  
__Attribute: Dark ----------------- Attribute: Light  
Type: Fiend --------------------- Type: Machine  
Level: 4 --------------------------- Level: 4  
ATK: 1600 ---------------------- ATK: 1650  
DEF: 1600 ----------------------DEF: 1700  
Effect: For every Light and -- Effect: None  
Dark Monster in the Grave-  
yard, increase ATK by 100.  
_Yugi could hear beeping coming from all over. The Duelists spoke with their monsters and started pressing buttons on their Card Data Detectors.  
"Well, anyone have any ideas of what to do next?" asked Yugi.  
"Not a clue," Diablo said, shrugging. "Maybe Pegasus is planning on giving us instructions."  
"Not likely," Kaiba growled. "That freak never does things the easy way. Or the smart way."  
"Don't talk about Pegasus that way," Ice said, glaring at Kaiba. "I heard he mopped the floor with you."  
"Through cheap tricks and scare tactics," Kaiba shot back. "Besides, Yugi here beat him, so he can't be all that tough."  
"Didn't Yugi beat YOU before?" Diablo quipped, smirking.  
"Like you two should even be talking," Kaiba spat. "If you're so great, why haven't we heard of you?"  
"We prefer the underground circuit," Diablo said. "The less hype, the better, we feel."  
"Exactly," Ice said, nodding. "The less we're well known, the less people know about us. And the less they know about us, the easier it is to take them down."  
Kaiba snorted, but said nothing.  
"Uh, hey, guys?" Jonouchi started. "Maybe we should try dat castle over there."  
He pointed down, and Yugi realized they must be on a hill. He walked over to Jonouchi and looked down. A huge, gothic castle rose up in the valley, surrounded by a dark moat.  
"Well, someone has dark taste," Ice quipped.  
"That looks like a good spot to check," Diablo said. He clapped Jonouchi on the back. "Way to stay on top of things, J. Shall we go, then?"  
"Nothing better to do," Kaiba muttered.  
The five (ten if you count the monsters) marched down the gentle hill. A wind ruffled the grass and, to everyone's surprise, their hair and clothes as well. They could feel the wind, the flying blades of grass. Which left a dark question to pick at their minds:  
How much could they feel?  
Slowly, they walked up to the castle. A bridge hung over the moat, a dark and murky pool about 10 feet across and how knows how deep.  
"I...guess we take the bridge," Yugi said, staring down into the water.  
Jonouchi took a step onto the bridge. His shoe rang out against the thick wood, ringing out in the still afternoon.  
Suddenly, the moat began to churn. Out of the murky stream burst five monsters. They landed in front of the five duelists, hissing and growling.  
The reptilian monsters were lanky and tall, but they stood hunched down. Their skin was slick and brilliant green, in stark contrast with their bright red eyes. The skin was less skin and more armor, spiky and plated. Their feet and hands were webbed and clawed, and they looked quite dangerous.  
"What da heck is dat!?" Jonouchi bellowed.  
Yugi pressed the Scan button, and read out the results.  
"They're Takriminos. Level 4, Water attribute, Sea Serpent type. 1500 attack and 1200 defense."  
"Easy," Kaiba sneered. "Blue Eyes, attack!"  
The BEYD lunged at the sea serpent, but it jumped over the young dragon and struck Kaiba with its hand. The hit slashed through Kaiba's clothes, and drew blood.  
"Bastard!" Kaiba snarled.  
A Takriminos launched at Yugi, but Pharaoh's Guardian stepped in the way and lashed out with his spear, knocking it back. It quickly got back to its feet, but had a shallow gash on its shoulder that leaked red blood onto its green skin.  
Joey's Slayer had taken up the offensive, its now flaming sword severing the arm of a Takriminos. It reached out with its other arm, gripping the Serpent's neck, and hurled the monster to the ground.  
Diablo and Ice looked on calmly as Fallen Angel and Cobalt Hunter held the Takriminos back. Fallen Angel had summoned an ebony sword out of nowhere and was tracing shallow cuts on one of the reptiles, while Cobalt Hunter blasted the other with a small laser cannon.  
Even BEYD had managed to wound the last Takriminos, shooting bolts of blue lightning out of its mouth.  
"Dese guys ain't so tough!" Jonouchi yelled. "Take 'im down, Slayer!"  
"J's right! Finish him, Fallen Angel!"  
The dark angel held up one arm and an orb of dark energy materialized. It flung the orb at the Takriminos, vaporizing it.  
"Master Yugi, stand back!" Pharaoh's Guardian yelled. "This will get messy!"  
Yugi moved back as Guardian jumped high into the air. As he hit the ground, his spear dug into the earth, and the ground exploded around him, crushing the Takriminos.  
Cobalt Hunter and Fallen Angel pushed their Takriminos back to the water, the Angel darting behind it to block its escape. Cobalt Hunter charged up one last blast, obliterating the serpent.  
"Knock 'is block off!" Jonouchi bellowed.  
Black D. Slayer snarled and charged, brining its fiery blade down through the other reptile's body, cleaving it in two.  
"We've saved the best for last! Crush him!" Kaiba bellowed.  
BEYD let out a fierce shriek, and hit the Takriminos with a powerful bolt of energy. The Takriminos cried in pain before being completely annihilated.  
"Yeah! We win!" Jonouchi cheered.  
Yugi heard his CDD beep and looked down at it. It read in the LCD screen:  
_New card acquired: Takriminos.  
_"Not a bad start, eh?" Diablo said, swinging his arms around Ice and Jonouchi. "So, what do you think is next?"  
A loud, low screech rang out, and Yugi got the sneaking suspicion that they would find out fast.  
  
What is the screeching beast? Are the heroes strong enough to face it? Find out next time in...13 Gems of the Zodiac!


End file.
